My wealthy in-laws had a nasty habit: they’d invite people to fancy dinners, then suddenly “forget” their wallets. Every. Single. Time. My husband and I got stuck with bills more than once — $300, $400, even more. Then they invited my mom to a luxury birthday dinner while we were out of town. I warned her, told her they’d stick her with the check. She just said, “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll handle it. ”And oh, did she. They ordered the most expensive stuff on the menu — wagyu, gold-covered desserts, the works. Then one by one, they slipped away with their usual excuses: forgot my purse, need to take a call, babysitter emergency. Instead of panicking, my mom calmly ordered dessert and called the restaurant manager — who just happened to be one of her former students. He called my in-laws and, on speakerphone, said if they didn’t return to pay the $1,500+ bill, he’d call the authorities for dine-and-dash. They came running back furious — and he added a 25% “inconvenience fee. ”The best part? Now, every time we eat out, my mother-in-law declares, “We’re all paying separately! ”Lesson learned
